Loving husband and father, and outgoing friend to many, George Joseph Stephens, Jr. of Fletcher, NC, died on Monday, March 19th following an unexpected heart attack. He was born in Franklin, Louisiana on July 28th, 1942, to the late Vivian Charpentier Stephens and George Joseph Stephens, Sr. He grew up in Morgan City, Louisiana, attending Sacred Heart Catholic School and remained an active friend to his classmates there.
Following high school, George joined the US Navy. He was stationed in Hawaii and Japan, serving as a radio operator in a P3 patrol squadron at the start of the Vietnam War. He joined IBM in 1966 and built up to a career as a design engineer on hard disk drives in San Jose, California. During this time, he earned a degree in mathematics at San Jose State University and met his wife, Leslie.
As a father he loved supporting his children’s sports and outdoor activities, including camping, baseball, and soccer. He selflessly spent countless hours caring for his wife, and graciously supported her passion for roses and weakness for rescuing cats. He enjoyed cultivating a backyard vegetable garden, as well as golfing, running and exercising, reading, and home improvement projects.
George was preceded in death by his brother Charlie Stephens, and is survived by his wife Leslie Wedmore Stephens, their son Ryan Stephens with his wife Liz Stokley; his sisters Patricia Stephens Jett with her husband Terry in Missouri, and Maxine Stephens Boudreaux in Arkansas; his daughter Christi Stephens with her sons Paul Jr. and Kyle Camilleri; as well as other family in California, Missouri, and Louisiana. He was beloved by many and will be missed beyond measure.
The family would like to thank the nurses and doctors in Mission Hospital’s Emergency Department and Cardiac ICU for their outstanding care.
An informal gathering to celebrate George’s life is scheduled on Saturday, March 24th from 2-4pm, at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in George’s name to Manna Food Bank of Asheville, or to a favorite charity supporting veterans.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of George
Joseph
Stephens Jr 2018.SOURCE
Death notice for the town of: Asheville, state: NC